EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 RACEPappas says he would work for good of community

Thursday

Oct 25, 2012 at 3:15 AM

Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories Foster’s is publishing about candidates in major races in the upcoming General Election.

By Liz Markhlevskaya

lmark@fosters.com

DOVER — Chris Pappas, candidate for Executive Council in District 4, hopes to put politics aside and work for the good of the local community, he told Foster’s editorial board late last week.

Pappas, 32, of 629 Kearney Circle in Manchester, is a co-owner of Manchester’s Puritan Backroom, a restaurant that has been in his family for four generations. He also graduated from Harvard University, after having attended Central High School.

After seeing much discord and disagreement among Executive Council members in recent years, Pappas, a Democrat running against Republican Robert Burns, of Bedford, said he’s running for the District 4 position to put the needs of communities first.

The Executive Council’s defunding of Planned Parenthood, he said, was an example of councilors letting political ideologies get in the way of the best interests of New Hampshire citizens.

Pappas said rather than putting political ideologies in the forefront, he would like to work with fellow Executive Councilors in a bipartisan way.

Pappas has previously served two terms in the House of Representatives, where he says he got familiar with the budget process and learned to work with those across the aisle. He also served two terms as Hillsborough County treasurer, before losing that position to Burns in 2010.

“I really feel like I have a good working knowledge of how the government works and who the players are,” said Pappas.

After redistricting, Executive Council District 4 now includes not only central New Hampshire, but also towns closer to the Seacoast, such as Barrington, Lee, Northwood, and Nottingham.

On Friday, when asked how he could represent the new communities in District 4, Pappas said expanding bus service is one of the needs for the region.

In meeting with residents in the local area, Pappas said he hears many who are concerned about road issues, the Spaulding Turnpike, tolls, the price of gasoline, and taxes.

Going forward, Pappas said he will continue to meet with local constituents and learn about issues that mean the most to them.

“I plan to be a hands-on councilor,” said Pappas.

During the editorial board meeting Pappas contrasted his views with Burns’, saying the state missed a good opportunity when the Executive Council voted not to accept federal funds to study a passenger train system in the area.

Pappas also would not implement litmus tests for judicial nominations. He spoke against the Executive Council last year blocking the re-appointment of Meredith Hatfield to the consumer advocate position, which she has held since 2006.

The Executive Council candidate also spoke strongly against the idea of privatized prisons, though he said it would be healthy to have an option on the table to have a private company build a prison and having the state lease the space.

Pappas said whether it’s Republican Ovide Lamontagne or Democrat Maggie Hassan who wins the election for governor, he would be able to have a good working relationship with either, should Pappas win the Executive Council seat.

“They are running for the right reasons, they have good hearts,” said Pappas, who called Lamontagne an “upstanding guy” and “a good family man.”